Jyrobike launch kickstarter for remotely controlled balance bike

British startup Jyrobike has debuted a kids bike with built in gyroscopic technology, enabling kids to undertake those first rides with greater greater confidence.

Aimed at 3-8 year olds and available in 12” and 16” wheels, the bike carries a patented Control Hub in the front wheel that uses gyroscopic technology to keep riders upright, even when they tip or wobble. There’s even an adult version in the pipeline, set for a 2015 launch.

When turned on, the Control Hub acts like a gyroscope to provide a stabilising force, working in a similar fashion as gyroscopes do to keep helicopters stable in the air. Using a Jyrobike, children can learn to ride without stabilisers "in one afternoon", say the creators.

What’s more, the hub can be fitted as an aftermarket piece to any 12 or 16" wheeled bike.

At yesterday’s Look Mum No Hands press launch, founder and CEO Robert Bodill said: “Until now, despite many advances in bicycles over the the centuries, one thing that remains unchanged is that most people find the process of learning to ride a bicycle quite difficult, sometimes even daunting. The learning phase can be tough, but we all endure, because one of life’s greatest moments is the exact second when a person realises that they just went from ‘can’t ride’ to ‘can ride’. It is nothing less than life inspiring.”

With ten different patents taken out on the creation, the Jyrobike’s features don’t stop with stability assistance. A wireless remote allows parents to gradually reduce the gyroscope’s input as the child’s skills develop. The same remote also controls a wireless speaker, which engages the child with a series of fun sounds, including roaring dinosaur and siren sounds.